The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-05-21
ALL FROM COAL TAR.
Tho Most Brilliant Of Colors and tn
s'9t9-' ~ SweeteSt of Subxtanccs F-Es-.i ~

Tho Most Brilliant Of Colors and the
Sweetest OF Substances.
The history Of coal tar product is a ro-
nance Of science. It seems strange that the
most beautiful colors now used in the dyeing
Of fabrics come from black nasty sub.
stance that soils everything it touches and
which cmits q most disagrccable odor. , 4
When benzinc, naphtha and creosotc were
first obtained by distillation Of coal tar they
were regarded as wonderful triumphs Of
chemistry, but no one at that time dreamed
how, extensive o mine Of wealth still re-
NAMED to DO worked in so unpronising o
substance. In 1856, however, chemist
named Perkins produced from benzine the
first analne dye known as mauvc. The pro.
cess was full Of difficulties, but these were so
rapidly overcome that within q year after
the discovery Of mauvcin the chcmist's labo-
ratory it was being used by silk dyers. Other
chemists at once began researches in the same
direction, and the next discovery WINS that Of
the beautiful color magenta, which was pro
duced in the laboratory Of. N. 5Verguin, a
French chemist. In 1861, beautiful violet
and blue ,colors were produced by French
chemists, but the process Of manufacture
was speedily initiated in England and Ger
many ,d1iE ~ 80 r z; u Z 4 a y. 9.ii
{ The researches Of two German chemists,
Graebe md Liebermann, resulted in q
further ID discovery Of great scientific import.
ance. The most important dye stuff has
for ages been the root Of tho madden plant.
The chemical constituent of madden: which
gives to it its coloring matter is known to
chemists as aiizarine, and the two German
chemists discovered that this was chemical
related to anthacine, q product formed Of
the distillntion of coal. This discovery was
speedily followed by the artificial production
Of tho, mndder dye from coal tar, and
the manufacture was begun, which has ex-
tensivcly superseded tho use Of the madden
root. In 1869 the price paid for madder
ranged from ten to sixteen cents q pound, and
now the equivalent In artificial maddcr dye
can be obtained ct the rate of one cent q
nlizarine the production Of coal.tar colors Inns
been rapidly extended, SO that the brilliant
scarlet and red dyes of cochineal, the intense
blue of indigo, and the yellows Of quercitron
and safIlowcr, are NIL artifcially produced at
an expense far less than TINT ut which nat
ural colors can be procured, and 1t is the
belief that coal.tar colors are destined sooner
or later to supersede, as the primary source
of color, all the costly dye woods hitherto
used in the ornamentation of textile fabrics.
The most astonishing Developments Of chem.
ical science in this production is Of very re-
cent date, and was accomplished in the
laboratory of the Johns Hopkins University
at Baltimore, but the tests and processes by
which the manufacture Is being brought
into commercial use arc being carried on in
! Germany, whittier the chemist who made
the discovery has gone A substance has
been discovered which has over 800 times tho
saccharine strength Of ordinary cane sugar.:
Il has x been NJ designated by the appropriate
pear Of the extraordinary sweet pungcncy Of
this substance It is believed TINT, in combIna;,,
ton with glucose, sugar: can be produced
at prices fat. belownt That which it Is possible
to make cane or grape sugar. It Is further-
more stated that this substance IS. absolutely
incapable Of fermentation, so TINT fruit pre-
served in 1t runs no risk. Of spelling, and its
introduction therefore promises to revolution
lie the canning industry. rs js; \